When it comes to the future of electrification, a constant theme is coming into focus. There is not a one-size fits all approach. Each battery cell and system can and should be tailored to the application. Experts at Freudenberg e-Power Systems (FEPS) agree, which is why they’re continuing to work on a pioneering solution to power the future of the maritime industry.
Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) and Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC) chemistries are two of the most common chemistries used for powering vessels. LFP batteries are chosen for their lifetime, cost, and thermal stability, while the nickel-rich NMC chemistry allows for increased energy density, range, and power. But can you combine the attributes of both these chemistries and develop a state-of-the-art solution? The answer is yes.
The result, the FEPS next generation GEN 3 SHP power cell featuring a mid-nickel, single crystal NMC cathode with attributes of long cycle life, high energy density, high charge C-rate, and thermal stability in designated conditions that will give customers a highly competitive total cost of ownership for maritime and other heavy-duty applications.
Thanks to a dedication to research, development, and innovation, FEPS is positioned to be one of the first battery and cell manufacturing companies to offer a mid-nickel, single crystal NMC cell solution for applications available in 2026.
Tight turnaround times to onload and off-load people and cargo, a move towards decarbonization in busy ports, and the need for enhanced safety measures bring specific operating requirements when powering maritime applications.
More than 80% of world trade is delivered by vessels to ports all over the world, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). In 2023, the IMO set goals for the international shipping community to reach net-zero emissions by 2050. New European Union regulations also went into effect in January of 2025, requiring the gradual reduction of all greenhouse gases in vessels above 5,000 gross tonnages that stop in EU ports, from –2% in 2025 to –50% in 2050. With these standards in place, alternatives to vessels powered by traditional heavy fuel oil are in high demand.
Freudenberg-Power Systems battery cells and systems have been powering hybrid-electric ferries around for the better part of a decade. Building on the FEPS knowledge and success as a maritime battery solution provider, they believe new innovative cell technology, combined with a state-of-the-art pack design, will enable shipbuilders and shipyards to achieve customer goals of reducing emissions and the environmental impact of the vessels, while enhancing the riding experience for their riders.
According to the Maritime Battery Forum, more than 1,500 battery powered vessels have been entered in their ship register as of 2025. The organization says there has been a steady rise in demand over the last few years thanks to car and passenger ferries. But like many industries, there is room for growth, and the experts at FEPS believe the mid-nickel, single crystal NMC cathode chemistry will provide an innovative solution for maritime applications.
“The Gen 3 SHP power cell uses the mid-nickel, single crystal NMC cathode. This is a technology that combines a very long cycle life with a high charge rate,” says Dr. Kevin Dahlberg, Freudenberg e-Power Systems Vice President of Cell Development. “It's a perfect fit for applications that require MW charging infrastructure, fast charging, and long life, to enhance the total cost of ownership.”
With a charge rate of 2C, it would take less than 30 minutes to charge the required energy for the trip with the GEN 3 SHP power cell, which would enable vessels to charge while they load and unload passengers and cargo quickly once in port to stay on schedule. In addition, the cells can be used in high charge and discharge rates without compromising the cycle life of the cell.
“We can create a single installation on a ship for many years of use, with high energy density and high uptime,” says Dahlberg.
This technology was developed through vertical integration at their research and development facility in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
In 2018, the FEPS experts investigated various technologies, including a Nickel Manganese Cobalt NMC811 cathode. “811” in NMC811 refers to how much content from each element is represented in each grain of cathode active material (CAM) powder. In the case of NMC811, the ratio would be 80% Nickel, 10% Manganese, and 10% Cobalt.
Tests on cells containing this nickel-rich NMC cathode were encouraging. FEPS chemists achieved a particularly long cycle life with high charge and discharge rates, and the company was positioned to bring one of the first nickel-rich NMC-based cells to the market.
However, when it came to thermal abuse tests, the results were less than ideal. During a thermal abuse test on NMC811 cathode materials, the thermal runaway proved to be too energetic and led to the decision to redirect research efforts towards lower nickel content chemistry. The FEPS team developed a lower nickel NMC cell that is currently being used in the XPAND packs.
Driven by innovation and curiosity, Freudenberg e-Power Systems chemists wanted to know, is there a middle ground? A cell that could produce the right balance of cycle life, charge rate, energy density, thermal stability in designated conditions, and overall value for our customers.
To answer this question, the Freudenberg e-Power Systems cell research and development team, led by Dr. Kevin Dahlberg, examined the fundamental mechanisms in cells and drilled down to the cathode chemistry, developing a cell based on mid-nickel, single crystal NMC cathode active material (CAM).
Traditionally, NMC particles have been made in a co-precipitation process in which a primary and secondary particle framework is created. The secondary particles are clusters of smaller primary particles and together they create a polycrystalline material. Typically, primary particles are around 0.2-0.3 microns, with the secondary particles being around 5-10 microns.
The particles provide ample surface contact with the electrolyte for the lithium to diffuse inside and around the primary and secondary particles. Polycrystalline material is effective for cell use, but the charging and discharging of the particles causes wear and tear on the particles in the form of expansion and contraction.
“It is quite common to see polycrystalline NMC particles to have cracking, after they have cycled. With higher nickel materials, the associated limitations to cycle life are part of the design,” says Dahlberg.
Think of it like glass exposed to fire. The glass typically heats up unequally. The temperature differential between areas receiving direct heat and areas getting indirect heat is too drastic; eventually the glass cracks and breaks at the stress boundaries.
This is similar to what happens to polycrystalline cathode particles in a cell, where heat and thermal shock are analogous to state of charge gradients causing mechanical stress FEPS research shows that the higher the nickel content, the greater the extent the polycrystalline NMC is subject to both thermal and cycling instability.
Here is a picture of the mid-nickel, NMC polycrystalline cathode electrodes FEPS tested at the beginning and end of their life cycles. Notice the difference between the two cells. The one on the right at the end of its life has noticeable cracking and pulverization of particles.
Source: Freudenberg e-Power Systems
To combat these known issues, Dahlberg’s team looked at early research focused on single crystal NMC particles.
Utilizing their in-house expertise, the team collaborated with suppliers to engineer electrodes and cells with state-of-the-art single crystal NMC. This single crystal material, combined with FEPS ’proprietary electrode design enables the particles to expand and contract more uniformly, effectively cutting down on cracking and minimizing surface side reactions.
Below you can see the same images as above, this time with the mid-nickel, single crystal NMC cathode. The cathode on the right at the end of its life performed well with minimized cracking at the stress boundaries unlike its polycrystalline counterpart.
Source: Freudenberg e-Power Systems
Tests also show mid-nickel, single crystal NMC cathode materials had significantly better thermal stability compared to nickel-rich, polycrystalline materials. Moreover, this class of materials were relatively new commercially, and the state-of-the-art was not fully optimized.
“The single crystal morphology with mid-nickel or lower nickel content was more acceptable on the thermal management side and had a huge innovation upside” says Dahlberg. The next challenge was to find the right balance of energy density, charge rate, thermal stability, and cycle life.
Dahlberg’s team began screening the mid-nickel CAM options, electrode components, design parameters, anode, and electrolyte synergies through a series of novel testing methods, including thermal abuse tests.
The more they researched, the more things came into focus: the mid-nickel, single crystal NMC cathode chemistry developed by Freudenberg e-Power Systems would allow for cells to cycle as well, if not better, than LFP and nickel-rich NMC cells on the market.
The result, their next generation Gen 3 SHP power cell.
“We take a material that has a good cycle life and make it powerful,” says Dr. John Camardese, Director of Cell Development at Freudenberg e-Power Systems.
This innovative cell solution is just the beginning of what our experts believe is an NMC chemistry with the potential to revolutionize the e-mobility transportation landscape.
We're going to enable electrification of applications that haven't had viable solutions up to this point.
The Gen 3 SHP power cell will be featured in a new maritime battery system XWAVE. The innovative system will be a stackable solution for shipbuilders, operators, and maritime transportation companies to provide optimized energy density while allowing for a compact and flexible footprint on board the ship.
Freudenberg e-Power Systems experts also envision a future for the mid-nickel, single-crystal NMC cathode as a viable solution for additional applications, including long-haul trucking, and future autonomous applications that would require more power or range, and quick charge times.
If you would like to explore how our solutions can help, make your fleet more sustainable contact our sales team.
Contact us